The Ultimate Autobot Hunter: Part 1
Decepticon Message: 2/109 Posted Author The Predacons Thu Apr 04 Shockwave ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** TEXT ONLY *** The Predacons have been reassigned and are unavailable for deployment until further notice. - Shockwave 2k5 2 - Tuesday, April 16, 2013, 6:28 PM ---------------------------------------- Darkmount - Workshop White cement tile floors complete with floor drains mark this room as a maintenance space even before you see all the machine tools. Toolchests and workbenches are mounted on the walls, with the center of the room left open for access to the lifts and hoists. Air hoses for pneumatic tools hang in reels from the ceiling, easily accessable from any part of the room, and at several points along the rear wall there are connections for fuel, coolant and welding gas hoses. Contents: Tiny Robotic Honey Bee <'Buzzkill'> Backbone Obvious exits: Out leads to Darkmount - Atrium. <'Decepticon'> Shockwave says, "Buzzkill, report to my lab in Darkmount at once." <'Decepticon'> Buzzkill says, "As you command, sir." Fusillade has arrived. Shockwave's lab is rarely so cluttered and chaotic as it is right now. The moment one enters, they are immediately confronted with an red and yellow wall about the height of a normal Transformer. The wall is mechanical in nature, with open panels revealing the circuitry within. Due to the location of the lighting emplacements, the wall casts a long shadow on the entrance. Should one maneuver around (or over) the wall, they'll find the rest of the room is similarly dimly lit, with red and yellow components littering the ground, obscuring the distant corners. Five spotlights draw the optic to the west wall, where five mounted skulls stare back. The beast-like heads immediately reveal the fate of the Predacons, and the wall at the entrance is now recognizable as a partly disassembled arm. A surgically severed black hand rests in the middle of the room, fingers curled in a grasping manner. Upon the opposite wall is hung a massive set of eagle wings, having been torn off from their combined mode's back. The sounds of machinery can be heard in the far corner, though what's happening there is hidden behind the bulk of what was once Headstrong's leg mode. There's a sudden *whoosh* as a strong breeze rushes throughout the room. Swindle has arrived. Swindle strides into the room looking to make a deal. Galvatron has arrived. As per Shockwave's request, Buzzkill drops everything she is doing and makes haste to the big purple hexagon's laboratory. As soon as she enters she is taken aback by it's current state; normally it's so neat and orderly, exactly what you would expect from someone like Shockwave, but right now it was so.. chaotic is a good word, yes. Buzzkill eyes the yellow and red wall standing before her with a curiosity that only grows as she steps around it, the similiarily coloured components scattered across the ground catching her eye. She makes her way further into the room, stopping only when her attention is drawn to the Predacon heads mounted on the western wall, the slightest hint of a gasp threatening to leave her lips. So THAT'S where they've been.. "Commander Shockwave, I am here as per your orders." She's not totally sure where he is right now so she kind of addresses the entire room (and all the grisly things inside of it.) "Did you require my assistance with..whatever this is?" Buzzkill transforms into her robot mode. Laserbeak has arrived. "I'm not certain if I walked into a workshop or the results of a safari," Swindle muses with his usual cheerfulness despite the macabre sight he's walked into. Though there's maybe just a hint of a twitch in one purple optic, because it's not the first time he's seen a combiner team in pieces, and there's that whole being imprisoned in stasis issue, but overall he hides it well. Casually he folds his hands behind his head. "... I wonder if he wants to sell any of the leftover parts..." Shockwave's voice comes from the far corner. "Correct assumption. As you can see, Buzzkill, the Predacons have been rebuilt. Approach." The Insecticon will find Shockwave slaving away in the corner, welding together a massive black and orange claw. The talons have been sharpened so that they gleam, even in this lighting. The rest of the figure is is large and thin, though obviously incomplete. The frame houses four legs, with tough armour plating arrayed in a scale fashion. Reptilian in appearance, the creature has a long tail that stretches outwards before curling around half of Razorclaw's body. It would be adorable if it weren't so threatening. The monster's neck and head have not been attached, but is instead resting on a nearby workbench. Shockwave rises from where he was working, turning to face Buzzkill. "The Combiner process has always been a flawed one, Buzzkill. Both physically and mentally, their power has never achieved the potential inherent in the design. This..." Shockwave spreads his arm towards the disassembled monster, "...is the next iteration in the concept--the next logical evolutionary step." Shockwave hears Swindle's voice. No doubt the mech has brought the rare supplies he requested. Space Going B-1R Lancer's wingblades rustle from the strength of the draft. "That's... quite the installation you got there, Shockwave," she remarks, staring pointedly at the red and yellow trophy wall. "Been taking pointers from Scrapper?" She scowls at Swindle being a bit quicker on the draw. She draws closer, and snorts at Shockwave's remark regarding flawed combiner processes. "No slag, I can testify to THAT!" The sleek bomber rears up, wings collapsing onto hips even as the rear fuselage splits to form arms. The horizontal stabilizer slides up, the forward fuselage folds up accordian style, and Fusillade hops up on thrustered feet. "Shockwave, I demand to know what you have done with my combiner!" booms Galvatron as he shoves Buzzkill aside on his way into the lab. "This-" he adds, picking up a spare rhinocerous horn (thought by the likes of Drift to cure robopotence), "does not look like the 'synchronization upgrade' I approved you to carry out on the Predacons!" Laserbeak swoops in right after the Decepticon Leader. The vulture certainly knows how th make a proper entrance, right on the coattails of power! He hovers back and to the side of Galvatron, his eyes immediately scanning the room itself. For a moment the vulture considers the possibility that Shockwave has finally snapped. The moment continues a bit further as he considers alarming Galvatron to the possibility...then considering the Warlord a bit further, decides against it. He regards the skulls for a moment, then perches on one, his attention fully on the mad scientist. But of course he did! They're right he... Swindle pauses when he glances back and realizes his stooge isn't behind him. Vented a sigh softly and gestured to the others. "Give me one moment." The Combaticon turned and walked back to the shop entry. "Deadweight, get off your aft and get tha--" And stops again as he sees the labor-mech huddling in a corner of the platform, expulging waste energon in a manner similar to how an organic would vomit. "He.. they.. they're... they weren't off-line.. but.. he..." And stops stammering to hurl again, the sight of five perfectly capable warriors now laying in pieces and their heads displayed like morbid trophies a little too much for the flunkie. Swindle just rolled his optics as he grabbed the handle to the hover-trolly. "No wonder you didn't make it very long on the frontlines." Swindle disengages the brake on the platform and pulls it into the lab himself, a couple of supply crates stacked neatly atop it. "Shockwave, I've got those final components you needed." Buzzkill approaches Shockwave only to get rudely shoved aside by Galvatron himself. She trips over a piece of what used to be Predacon with a loud clatter but regains her composure just in time to give the other big purple authority figure a salute. "Hail Galvatron!" Obviously getting pushed around by the big man himself isn't enough to cause her loyalty to falter. Fusillade also gets a salute, while Swindle and Laserbeak get more of a bregrudging nod of approval. Sorry guys, you just aren't important enough. Her attention returns to Shockwave and the seemingly draconic beast he's working on. "Fascinating.." she remarks, giving her chin a thoughtful rub. She can tell already that this is something she definitely wants to be a part of and not just because Shockwave is involved (though honestly, that is a big deciding factor for pretty much everything she does.) "How may I assist you in this endeavor, Commander?" Fusillade gazes thoughtfully at Laserbeak for a moment, and then raises a hand, wrist cocked. Fusillade wiggles her free hand at Buzzkill in acknowledgment of her salute, done with the hand not raised for perching. Shockwave waves his hand dismissively at the wall of Predacon heads. "Merely storing them in the event that a back-out procedure is required." At Fusillade's second comment, Shockwave points, "I briefly considered utilizing Vindicator's infrastructure for this test, but ultimately my research has concluded that a team that functions well together and has done so for a long period of time would be more suitable. Furthermore, the Predacons are more disposable." That is a compliment. When Galvatron makes his arrival, Shockwave stands up straighter. Though he knows no fear, Shockwave does know concern and caution, and both are required when dealing with the Warlord. "Galvatron," he greets in a neutral voice. "This *is*, in fact, synchronization upgrade. I have taken the liberty of expanding the original parameters to include a full mental and physical merging." "This improved Predaking is the last part of a three step plan to put the Autobots back on the defensive. First, Contrail has removed all Intelligence agents working in the field from the outskirts of Crystal City to the Highroad in order to concentrate on eradicating the Resistance. Second, our military has begun a massive assault against the Autobot front lines, pushing them back to Magnaron and isolating any efforts to resupply the Resistance. Third..." Shockwave gestures at the mutilated Combiner, "...Predaking will be able to track, hunt down, and annihilate any Autobot or Autobot bases left behind our advancing line. The Autobots have been able to evade our Air Force and Intelligence agents up until now, but no longer." Shockwave gestures at the Insecticon. "The final activation is nearly ready, Buzzkill. Swindle has provided the last needed parts. Once the Predacons' brains have been fused, we can attach Predaking's remaining components and bring him online." Trust me, it's a compliment. One that Swindle is going to be silently thankfully of, and the fact that the Combaticons were not so disposable because their military strength was needed to keep that push on the Autobot lines going. Onslaught and Brawl could sit there all day bombarding their bunkers with artillery strikes and not be bored at all. It's quite possible not dismantling -them- again was part of the payment for this shipment as well, that Swindle pushes over to Shockwave's work area. Then walks back away from it again, casting another glance at the wall o' heads. "If a back-out becomes unnecessary, I call dibs on whatever weapons did not go into rearming the syncronized Predaking." Fusillade points. "Can I have Divebomb's wings? They'd make awesome wingblade sheathes. It'd be Carnivale EVERY DAY!" she pipes up after Swindle takes the first hazardous step. She quickly glances askance at Galvatron to gauge his response. Scorn has arrived. Galvatron scowls at Shockwave for a while and seems to decide it's not worth shouting about more, at the moment. "Very WELL. Let's see this vaunted monstrosity, Shockwave!" Laserbeak looks aside to Galvatron after Fusillade offers a perch. He seems disinterested, which was the better of his two moods. The bird casts a cautious gaze over the room one more time before accepting, after all there was always issues over symbols of status...still...it couldn't hurt, could it? Laserbeak takes flight, catching an errant piece that could possibly be entrail in his claw, then lights on Fusillade's wrist. He nibbles at the choice bits for a moment, then returns his gaze to the parts of Predaking, trying to analyze the situation. After a moment or two, he shifts instead to watch Shockwave. If he really had snapped, perhaps there'd be some tell given, or perhaps he was an impostor? Honestly Buzzkill would rather have the Predacon's swords, it's not like they can do anything with them now, right? Just think about all the nerdy Protectobot medics she could impale through the chest with them. Just the thought of it causes her lips to twitch in what could be mistaken for a smile if one wasn't paying much attention. Fusillade's face lights up briefly upon Laserbeak's acceptance, before taking on a sly air and hovering fingertips over his mid-crown to see if he would accept the attention to his joints. Askance, she murmurs, "Been a good number of petrorabbits and turbofoxes stirred up by the push out from Crystal City toward Magnaron, might make for some good sport." After that offer, she asks, "Any details on Ravage's encounter? I'm only interested in sensitive but unclassified information, of course." The Predacons aren't even dead yet and people are already calling dibs on their swag. "Once we eliminate the possibility of a back-out, the Predacons' armaments will be distributed to Logistics to use as they see fit," Shockwave states. Fusillade can just pull rank and grab whatever she wants from there, though, and Swindle... well, Swindle can swindle them out of Logistics's hands. Either way, Shockwave clearly doesn't have any specific plans for them. At Galvatron's urging (and Laserbeak's staring), Shockwave nods. "Of course." He steps back to a huge machine that consists of a arm and grappling hand. The device reaches down and snags the dragon's head, lifting it up off the work table and moving it towards the rest of the body. "Buzzkill, handle the synaptic connections as they are formed. Ensure none of the five lasercores overload. If this works, then this will only need to be completed once." Shockwave manipulates the grappling arm, and its movements cause the overhead lights to swing a bit, causing shadows to dance across the operating table and those in attendance. Vortex has arrived. Laserbeak naturally snaps at Fusillade's fingers as she reaches up to him. He snaps at Galvatron...except when the fearless Warlord is in one of those moods. His gaze returns to Shockwave. Big Purple seemed to be still in his right mind, nothing suggested treachery or insanity. But with someone who'd butcher his own troops like this, could that really mean anything? For a moment or two, the vulture is distracted enough to allow pettings as he recalls experiments of the past, and then of Americon. Drunk Soundwave is the worst Soundwave. Since Buzzkill is so awesome at what she does (which is being so dang awesome) she gets to work doing exactly what Shockwave requests of her. Only someone with such skill and finesse like Buzzkill could be trusted with such a task. That or any number of other reasons why Shockwave would make her do it. Whatever, the point is she is a total boss in everything she does and this is no exception. The honey bee focuses all her efforts on keeping each of the Predacon's lasercores from overloading as the connections are made. It's actually a lot more complicated that it sounds but tedious complicated things are her speciality. Shockwave didn't butcher the Predacons. He made them better without consulting them first. The distinction may seem trivial to Laserbeak, but to Shockwave it is everything. The dragon head is slowly lowered onto the rest of the body, and there's a loud clicking sound as the connections are made under Buzzkill's control. With the final connection made, the dragon's neck and body starts moving of its own accord, and its optics begin to glow. Moving with brutal grace, the creature lifts itself up using all four legs. Its neck slowly swings back and forth, eyeing each morsel. Laserbeak is a gnat. Swindle a pest. Fusillade a potential ally in the sky. Buzzkill a labourer and nothing more. Finally its gaze settles on Galvatron. Shockwave watches as Predaking casually knocks the worktable it was built upon aside and takes an ominous step towards the Warlord. "Despite appearance, it is utterly harmless to Decepticons and under our complete control." Shockwave had to deliberately say 'our' and not 'my'. Predaking has to look down to meet Galvatron's optics, and it does so with utter hatred and contempt, snarling viciously. Laserbeak returns to the atrium. Laserbeak has left. Laserbeak comes in from the atrium. Laserbeak has arrived. Laserbeak quickly departs from Fusillade's arm when Predaking's gaze comes upon him. He takes refuge behind Galvatron, which is also closer to the door. This was not a coincidence. Tactical information is provided to the Warlord, just in case he decides he has to blast this thing into pieces. Better safe than sorry. Swindle takes a step back and looks uuuuuup as Shockwave's newest creation gets up from the work tables. "... Certainly lives up to the name Predaking still, that's for certain." Heh. 'Our' control, he says. Shockwave is just being nice in Galvatron's presence, we all know that!... Thankfully most of us also know better than trying to call him out on it. Galvatron rests his hands on his hips and stares down Predaking fearlessly. "Curb yourself, beast. If you have a complaint, take it up with Shockwave." He glances at Shockwave to ask, "Can it understand me?" Monster Predaking has arrived. Noise? How did it take him so long to hear it? Ah, right...explosions do that sometimes. Ravage's optics flare to life before dimming down to proper levels as he regards the scene before him. New...Predaking? Interesting. There's a brief spark from crossed wiring on his side, where armor is still being replaced, but the cassette's otherwise silent for now. You don't have that! Vortex walks in through a doorway, gets a good look at the new creature.. stops, slowly steps inside without anyone noticing, he hopes, and gawking up. Fusillade shakes her hand and the bare metal of its fresh score marks, frowning at the condor tape's skittishness, her question about Ravage forgotten for now. As theform begins to shift and move, she widens her stance slightly, guarded but intrigued. "Such flights we'd have!" she declares. It's so... beautiful? Terrifying? Intimidating? Deadly? All of the above it? Whatever you would use to describe it, it's more than likely appropriate. Buzzkill takes a few steps back and looks up (and up and up and up) at the horrible® beast that is now the reconstructed Predaking. "It is.." She struggles for the right words. "..Glorious." Shockwave glances down at a datapad to review the analysis of his creation's brain patterns, apparently unconcerned about Predaking's actual behavior. "Its thought processes are limited to hunting, tracking, and exterminating any target we give it, but yes, it does possess rudimentary speech recognition. Enough to obey orders without question." Answering Buzzkill, Shockwave states, "Eventually we will expand this experiment. Glorious it may be, but this is only the beginning." He does not give details given the company they're in. Predaking glares angrily at Galvatron, listening intently to the Warlord's words. Its tail swishes violently back and forth, and its optics narrow. Shockwave or not, it is a creature that understands the pecking order, and the way everyone straightens up and gets nervous whenever they look in Galvatron's direction makes one thing clear: Galvatron is the undisputed leader, no matter what its creator might think. Predaking's wings fold along its back as it tries to match Galvatron's stare. Swindle notices his fellow Combaticon out of the corner of an optic, but doesn't really do much about it because he's not taking his eyes off Shockwave's new pet even as he takes a few more steps back to be out of the way of potential thrashings at least long enough to run for it if need be. Hopefully the process only works on animal-forms and Shockwave will have to mess around with Abominus and Prianhacon before getting close to Bruticus. Swindle rather prefers -not- being connected to the -rest- of his team -all- of the time... Buzzkill takes another few steps back to keep herself from getting slapping in the gut with Predaking's crazy tail. "When do we unleash this beast upon the Autobots?" The slight bounce in step and the tone of her voice gives away her anxiousness to see the Autobots cower before the new and improved Predaking, but can you blame her? It's going to be one hell of a show for sure. "Immediately!" replies Galvatron. "Predaking has ever been a hunter, and what better way to test his new form than with a hunt? Predaking, go forth and find the Autobots! Kill them, rend their bodies! Do this and regain my favor in spite of your monstrous form." Ravage blinks... Well, a certainly magnificent first fight he will be sure to miss out on. There's another spark as one of the automated repair mechs resumes the repair work from the night before, only to draw a soft growl from the cassette for interrupting the main show. "By your command, Galvatron," Shockwave states. He personally thinks that sending Predaking out immediately is a grand idea. He's passed all the tests that his scanners can provide. "Buzzkill, a sample of Autobot fuel for Predaking to track?" No, Shockwave didn't ask if Buzzkill has a sample of Autobot fuel around. He just assumes. Fusillade's fists pump into the air. "WHOOOO raiding party!" In her excitement, she cracks into the doorway on her way out. She'll be much more nimble in the air. Promise. Fusillade vanishes out of reality. Fusillade has left. "Don't slip in the energon vomit on the way out," Swindle warns the others hurrying away. Though Deadweight thankfully crawled him off somewhere out of sight. Laserbeak vanishes into the shadows, not trusting this creature just yet. It always comes down to a fight for dominance, and as always the weak serve the strong. The Decepticon way... Backbone says, "I hate these new-fangled detachable heads. When a patient comes in beheaded, I don't know whether to weld it back on or yell at the head for being lazy." Combat: Backbone expertly repairs Ravage's injuries. Predaking sloooooowly turns his body away from Galvatron, using its neck to maintain the stare for as long as it can. Galvatron may be in charge, it reasons, but not for much longer. It cranes its neck towards Shockwave, who holds out a sample of Autobot energon taken from the battle at Magnaron. Predaking takes a sniff before stomping forward. The monster has to squeeze through the large doors to the workshop. From there, it spreads its wings and takes off, flying high into the Darkmount Atrium before vanishing through the doors to the landing platform. Shockwave watches all this with cold, calculating, and analytical observation. If this works, then the potential will be limitless... It would seem Shockwave knows Buzzkill pretty damn well because as soon as he asks her for a sample she is on top of it. "Of course, Commander," she says, the faintest hint of a grin tugging on the corners of her lips. She pulls her toolbox out of subspace and plops it on the ground before popping the latches open with a quick flick of the wrist. Nestled between her torture devices TOOLS is a small vial of glowing energon. Although it has no label, Buzzkill knows exactly whose it is. The Protectobot First Aid of course! How exactly did she get this sample? Well, let's just say there is an unhealthy, murderous obsession involved. She uncaps the vial and holds it up as high as she can for Predaking to analyze, the smile om her face growing bigger as she imagines all the horrible things the beast will do to the little Autobot medic. "Excellent.." she says lowly, her voice almost a hiss. Ravage mutters, just letting the silly repair mechs do their work on his side as he watches the Predaking warily. It's new, animalistic...and as another animalistic type, it is not to be trusted. Predaking sloooooowly turns his body away from Galvatron, using its neck to maintain the stare for as long as it can. Galvatron may be in charge, it reasons, but not for much longer. It cranes its neck towards its second mother. Predaking looms over Buzzkill, leaning down in order to take a sniff of the energon. Snorting in satisfaction (perhaps it agrees with Buzzkill's assessment?), the monster turns away from the assembled Decepticons and heads for the exit. It has to squeeze through the large doors to the workshop. From there, it spreads its wings and takes off, flying high into the Darkmount Atrium before vanishing through the doors to the landing platform. Shockwave watches all this with cold, calculating, and analytical observation. If this works, then the potential will be limitless... "Well, all we do now is wait I guess." Probably won't be a long wait if Predaking has retained any amount of his lethal predatory ability." Swindle watchs the beast take off, then turns to wander out as he does so. Someone has got to be ready to go pick up all the valuable scrap that's going to be left in that monster's wake....